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Least used section of OHLE in the uk

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paulb1973

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Another one is at Coventry, on the curve towards Leamington Spa

I've never seen an electric train use that particular section - although its not impossible to think that a Class 350 [or earlier types] EMU may have been stabled there in months/years gone by.
 
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paul1609

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I've never seen an electric train use the lines in/out of Millerhill. Either at the monktonhall end or via portobello jn.

Ive been on a UK Raitours train thats done it, class 90 plus 13, very impressive performance let out in front of a delayed 125 and left the scheduled service for dead.



 

NSE

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My guess is soon the northbound curve from the ECML to where the flyover joins just north of Hitchin station is soon going to be part of the list. (assuming they aren't ripping it up, which I can't see they would as that would be stupid)
 

Tugzrule

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The bays at Carlisle, particularly the southern pair 5+6, haven't been used for years apart from the odd FL electric on route learners or a 92. As has been mentioned, the shunt neck is used for pendo's and recently the Cumbrian Mountain Express ecs with 87002 (which contrary to what I read wasn't being used to turn the stock...)

Also, for whoever mentioned platform 5 at Lancaster earlier, I have done that on a pendo once. Always remember the driver approached the platform very cautiously and seemed he had to be waved forward to where he needed to stop!
 

cdonnigan

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the spur from birtley yard onto the tyne valley dont think ive ever seen a electric use it.
 

LE Greys

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My guess is soon the northbound curve from the ECML to where the flyover joins just north of Hitchin station is soon going to be part of the list. (assuming they aren't ripping it up, which I can't see they would as that would be stupid)

I think there's going to be a crossover where the loop joins the Cambridge line, meaning that an up Beer Train can overtake a stopper by running up the down Cambridge for a couple of miles, then directly onto the up fast.
 

NSE

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What's a beer train? So you're saying, the fast is heading south from Cambridge, and then once past the point where the northbound trains join the existing line, the current lines effectively become slow south and fast south to join the ECML and meaning a slow can be in Hitchin platform and a Southbound Cambridge Fast can go round? Makes sense and a good idea, but would trains be running that close together on the Cambridge line? Surely it would be used more to let a Peterborough train come straight into Hitchin and then let a Cambridge fast come round behind straight onto the fast. Mind you I don't know the peak time table off hand at Hitchin Junction so it might help then


Obviously it goes without saying it helps in times of disruption, and this post is working on the assumption that a beer train is a fast?
 

HSTEd

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The "beer train" is the non stop "Cambridge Cruiser" service.

I believe the term is a reference to the student clientele that often uses the service.
 

LE Greys

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The "beer train" is the non stop "Cambridge Cruiser" service.

I believe the term is a reference to the student clientele that often uses the service.

A hangover from the old days of the Cambridge Buffet Express.
Please forgive horrible pun.
 

james60059

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Has anything ever used the wires at Nuneaton from the flyover down through P6/7 and out towards Leicester...? These were apparently provided to permit electric trains to terminate and be turned back, but they cannot now accommodate an 11 car Cl390 and may have never even seen an electric train at all.

O L Leigh

Apparently I understand that's if the line via Coventry is closed and the need to "drag" came about then the pendolino's would be dragged into 7 and then pick up the current for the journey South. As far as I'm aware nothing has used the wires as yet.
 

william

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I would hazard a guess at the majority of sidings on the ECML between York and Edinburgh.
 

507 001

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The up and down slows between lime street and edge hill and by the same token platforms 1-4.
P5 and 6 see the occasional 350 and I've seen a 390 in p6 in the past.
And of course lime street A,B,C and D sidings never see any use at all, never mind 'leccies!

You could also include Allerton TMD!
 

class303

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The bays at Carlisle, particularly the southern pair 5+6, haven't been used for years apart from the odd FL electric on route learners or a 92. As has been mentioned, the shunt neck is used for pendo's and recently the Cumbrian Mountain Express ecs with 87002 (which contrary to what I read wasn't being used to turn the stock...)

Also, for whoever mentioned platform 5 at Lancaster earlier, I have done that on a pendo once. Always remember the driver approached the platform very cautiously and seemed he had to be waved forward to where he needed to stop!

what was the circumstance of a pendo doing platform 5 at lancaster? interesting.
 

bnsf734

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There is also a loop track between platform 5 and 6 at Nuneaton installed at the same time as platforms 6 & 7. It wasn't connected at the south end until the resignalling in 2010/2011, but has never been used. There is about 5 years worth of rust on top of the rails.

I feel sure I have seen a Sunday pendelino drag on platform 7 dropping off the class 57 a few years ago.
 

cyclebytrain

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what was the circumstance of a pendo doing platform 5 at lancaster? interesting.

Line was blocked South of Lancaster, platform 4 was already occupied. Much muttering from the driver about fouling a magnet(?) and how he should never have been put there because of that etc. From that I deduced that it wasn't often used by Pendolinos!
 

34D

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Platform 17 at Leeds must be a contender.

I think I've seen a bin in there once in the six or so years I've been using it regularly.

The real bizarre one at Leeds is that when the station was first wired, platforms 4, 5, 6 and 8 (only) had wires. These are present day 7 8 9 and 11..... With platform 4 (and the non platform road immediately north of it (now removed) being _east_ end facing. Mind you, I once saw 90001 in the road next to platform 4.

At that, I bet 13 (that's the one Northern via Dewsbury services terminate in isn't it), 15 and 16 don't see much electric action either!

Also the line between Ulleskelf and Colton Junction can't see much use, either (unless the signaller has made a muck up :P)

I only found this out recently, but platform 15 has a few Doncaster dusty bins terminate and start in it.

Ulleskelf-Colton Junction isn't wired.

And returning to the Stratford area Channelsea Jn / Lea Jn / High Meads Jn to Temple Mills East Jn. (There's an obscure bit of route knowledge :) ). Don't know about electric hauled freight but the only EMU working I can recall is the Orient Way turning trips for 321s with the 1st class at the wrong end.

When Orient Way first opened, but before signalling changes to Stratford platforms 11 and 12, trains from Tottenham Hale or beyond used to reverse in 12 (at this point, 11 wasn't bi-di). When orient way opened, this caused a problem for ECS trains, so a couple of morning peak trains terminated in p11, then started in p11 and went via Channelsea/High Meads.

Apparently there is now too much tunnel over this line for DOO units to operate on it (I have a detailed email from NXEA if anyone wants to see it).
 

paulb1973

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There is also a loop track between platform 5 and 6 at Nuneaton installed at the same time as platforms 6 & 7. It wasn't connected at the south end until the resignalling in 2010/2011, but has never been used. There is about 5 years worth of rust on top of the rails.

I feel sure I have seen a Sunday pendelino drag on platform 7 dropping off the class 57 a few years ago.

That short stretch of track is wired up - think it is known as the Up/Down Relief line, but I've never seen anything use it, since it was connected. There is OHLE on some of the approach lines to Nuneaton station [that are not wired further out] the Coventry line included. I don't suppose they see much electric train use.
 

Crossover

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I only found this out recently, but platform 15 has a few Doncaster dusty bins terminate and start in it.

Indeed they do - I have had a couple from there. With the one I came back on the other week, the signallers seemed to forget the Scarborough train was running late so they had to quickly find somewhere else to put it :P

Ulleskelf-Colton Junction isn't wired.

I didn't refer to all the way - just a small amount from Colton Junction towards Ulleskelf is wired
 

306024

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When Orient Way first opened, but before signalling changes to Stratford platforms 11 and 12, trains from Tottenham Hale or beyond used to reverse in 12 (at this point, 11 wasn't bi-di). When orient way opened, this caused a problem for ECS trains, so a couple of morning peak trains terminated in p11, then started in p11 and went via Channelsea/High Meads.

Apparently there is now too much tunnel over this line for DOO units to operate on it (I have a detailed email from NXEA if anyone wants to see it).

During the construction of the Olympic Park there was a period of time when the Cab Secure Radio (as it then was) via High Meads was unavailable. However running trains via High Meads is not usually planned anyway as it conflicts with the frequent London Overground NLL trains at Channelsea Jn.

In the evening peak up trains from Orient Way run through the bi-di platform 12 at Stratford. GEML trains can then run down the up Temple Mills line to platform 10a at Stratford without conflict, while terminating passenger trains from West Anglia use platform 11. Like this, more GEML trains can call at Stratford in the evening peak by alternating between platform 10 and 10a.

Making Stratford platforms 11 and 12 bi-directional has allowed many operational improvements.
 

Batman

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Pleck Junction to Darlaston Junction. I don't think it even gets an ECS 323 nowadays?

It does. The weekdays only, 1936 Walsall to Wolves, formed from the 1847 New Street to Walsall.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The southbound freight by pass line at Walsall (the old platform 4)?

The Handsworth loop, although I have seen a couple of pendo's on that before and I'm not sure if the 0533 New Street - Walsall is routed that way.
 

Tugzrule

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what was the circumstance of a pendo doing platform 5 at lancaster? interesting.

if I remember this journey correctly, we had a tilt fault on the way down from Carlisle hence were running a bit late. Whilst this was somehow resolved around Oxenholme it made us suitably late enough to arrive into Lancaster after the ecs to form the morning Birmingham service had arrived from Carnforth unusually into P4. Therefore we had no choice but to be put into P5 (where the voyager would usually start from)
 

ole man

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The horse landing next to Crewe station was recently rewired, never seen a electric loco use it, it was used to access Crewe diesel depot, the wire even goes over the top of a walkway though it is earthed either side.
DBS insisted it was re-wired.
 

34D

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It does. The weekdays only, 1936 Walsall to Wolves, formed from the 1847 New Street to Walsall.

Only until May. From then, it becomes 2J02 Sats Only 0638
Wolverhampton-Walsall
(note, other direction)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I didn't refer to all the way - just a small amount from Colton Junction towards Ulleskelf is wired

Think someone else suggested a few pages back, but may agree that this thread would be of more interest if it included genuine sidings rather than these short over-run sections which were never designed to turn a train, and just function for emergencies only
 

Sammy h

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if I remember this journey correctly, we had a tilt fault on the way down from Carlisle hence were running a bit late. Whilst this was somehow resolved around Oxenholme it made us suitably late enough to arrive into Lancaster after the ecs to form the morning Birmingham service had arrived from Carnforth unusually into P4. Therefore we had no choice but to be put into P5 (where the voyager would usually start from)

The 06:58 LAN-BHM is always scheduled to go off platform four and is only ever usually put on 5 if it comes in before the 06:35 train.
 

34D

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Talking of which, the OLE in Carnforth's platforms must get next to no use?
 

matt

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Does Bescot Yard ever receive electric locos now?

Yes a few 92s still go there. There is a somewhere I can't remember to Hams Hall service which is a 92 to Bescot for a 66 to Hams Hall.
 
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